Agitator for washing machines



Feb. 8'; 1927.

J. RocKE AGITATOR FR WASHING MAcHINEs- Emana# 26;*1926 Paalga Fa. s, .1927.

. UNITED STATES PATENT* oF i iroIIN Booms, oF'ABLooMINGToN, ILLINOIS.' p

with a similar angularly fashioned portion I '-16 refers to rela.

neueren. ron. WASHING MACHINES.

Application tiled May 26,

IlThis invention relates to improvements in washing machines of the class employing 'driving lmeans entering through the bottom of the container element and projecting upwardly therein to a point above the normal lwater. line .in said container, and wherein an agitator is designed to be supported and4 driven from said driving means from a connection above 'said normal water line. 10. The present invention is specifically directed to the structure and composition .of an agitator fashioned to piovide agitating means that operate at the. bottom of'the container for the purpose of inducing lateral deiiection and upward projection of the fluid content. The agitator herein is designed to be reciprocated about a vertical axis and hasv in view, because of structural characteristics, the presentation of wide faced agitator blades, to the end of protecting clothes content within 'the container against damage and, incidentally, in connection with such service characteristic of said agitator blades, ofrelative reinforcement and strengthening the same, and at the same time minimizing as to weight, by bridging relatively spaced agitator blades to provide a unitary hollow blade structure.

The invention also includes service utility because of the `nature of the agitator structure as a Whole being developed from substance. material lighter than metal, as forv instance, 4a phenolic condensation product, whereby the shock attending reversing action of the agitator may be minimized to the smallest possible degree.

Referring to the drawings- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an agitator, partly in broken section, and presenting iagrammatic showing of a container and a driving member-forV the agitator.V y Referring more particularly to the drawings, 11 refers-to a shaft adapted to be oscillating alternately in opposite directions." 12 is the disk portion of the agitator adapted, in practice, to be seated approximately at the bottom ofthe container, and 13 is a sleeve member integrally connected withsaid disk and extending upwardly there'- from for a substantial distance suvlicient to be carried above the designed normal water linewithin the container. A-14 is-an angularlyfashioned portion at the interior 55 upper end of the sleeve member,adapted` for seating upon and inA clutching relation FICE.'

1926. [serial no. 111,692.

15 of drive shaft 11. tively offset portions of a column 16*l to provide a bearing surface between said column and sleeve portion 13 forservice in centering said members respectively to prevent lateral shift `of the lower portion ot' vthe agitator from impingcment with the container content during operation.

Special reference is-made to the agitator blades generallyvreferred'to as 17, the same being preferably formed integral with the body of the agitator and disposed at spaced intervals about the upper faceof the disk, said blades being formed from comparatively thin wall members :18, spaced apart, as shown,andrunited at their upper and outwardface portions by va'wall or bridge portion 19 thereby forming a narrow channelwayv between Ithe blade sections that serves for strengthening as well as reducing the weight of the agitatoras a unit, and in addition serves to present a wide abrasive surface that will not tear or damage the clothes in the container when the agitator is 'reciprocated. p v

In practice, reverse-action. attending the 'operation of agitator-s, when such `agitators are formed from metal or absorbent material, as Wood, has resulted in excessive jar and attendant strain, in case of metal, because of its 'natural specific gravity, andin case of wood, lbecause when soaked with water, it becomes very heavy. This jar and attendant strain has caused wearing action upon the machine power requirement.

The present' invention contemplates the formation of the agitator from a phenolic condensation product. The use of such a matrialin the agitator affords many important advantages which have-not been obtainable heretofore in the washing machine parts and unnecessary art through the use of wood or metal. The

agitator is impervious to water, is'much lighter than metal, and is fai-.more serviceable. It does ,not corrode, and even after a long period of' service, the active surfaces remain-,smooth and unbroken. After use, a metallic dollybecomes corroded and covered witha small-scale which results from the action of the soaps and alkalie's used in the Washing operation. Sucha roughened dolly has a disastrous effectv upon clothes, especially if they are of fragile and soft material.v A

dolly formed' from the'material indicated by 4light-wei ht, the operation of the machine is rendered ess expensive due to the fact that less poweris consumed in reciprocating the doll. p T e applicants dolly. is more sanitary than the wooden do ies, asi it does not develop per-l marient accumulations of deleterious matters such as dirt, greaseand the like. It has proven to be more eicient due to the resulting increases of water lagitation. This is probably due to the 'fact that a dolly formed.

` of a henolic condensation product has less 'skin y riction than the usuali metallic dollies.

A further` advantage of the applicants vdolly is that much of the noise incident to kI theoperation of former 'washing machines of this type is eliminated by its use.

Still another l ver?7 important advantage is that" the applicant s dolly is a non-absorber and non-conductor of heat. This has the advantage that the bearings on which the dolly is mounted are shielded from the heatv of the washing uid or water, and that the dolly itself may be readily removed. immediately after the 'termination of the Washing operation-if desired. l. l

The above description, it is thought, fully presents the materialfeatures of advantage lofthe agitator herein, Aand presents a prefobviously l structure, and with respect to theA form pre- Hreviously known metallicV anderableformof embodiment.' However, other charactei'istics-ofservice and advantage are included within the agitator sented, it is similarly lobvious thaty other forms may be employed that may serve measurably to perform the full functions of 40 that of the disclosure, and hence all structures and forms of structures possessing they utilities herein presented are claimed as being within the concept of invention herein set forth.

What I claim is:

1. An agitator'adapted for use withinla Washing machine tub formed from a nolic condensation product. 2. An agitator adapted plieof said disk, a plurality of spacedbaie` niembersl provided upon the upper portion of said disk and adjacent the lower'end of tlie sleeve member, the said disk, .sleeve member, and -batlies being integrally formed from a phenolic condensation produca;

'In testimony aixed my signature. JOHNl-ROCKE.

for use within a. washing machine tub comprising a member f whereof: I have hereunto 

